Dissemination system for satellite broadcasting

ABSTRACT

A dissemination system for satellite broadcasting comprises a satellite receiving antenna for receiving satellite signals, receivers for demodulating the signals received by the antenna, and a line system for distributing the signals to a plurality of subscribers, in which the receivers are assigned to the satellite receiving antenna in close spatial proximity, and only demodulated or decoded signals are relayed to the subscribers by means of the line system.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a dissemination system for satellite broadcasting and related services.

PRIOR ART

Conventional dissemination systems for satellite broadcasting, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,335, are based on distributing analog high frequency signals by means of coaxial cables. Two cable strands are employed for a simultaneous transmission of signals having two polarizations. Here an improvement is indicated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,975, in which signals of a second polarization are converted to a different frequency region. For this, however, a substantially more broadband cable, and also a more broadband distribution system are needed. The problem with arrangements of this kind is that the bandwidth available with conventional cable systems is far less than adequate for distributing all transmittable channels, particularly with simultaneous reception from a plurality of satellites.

Here an improvement is provided by receiving systems having controllable terminal stations, as described for example in DE 195 28 589 C1. In these, a desired channel is converted, in accordance with a channel selection made by individual subscribers, to an intermediate band that can be transmitted via a coaxial cable. The disadvantage of a solution of this kind is the high complexity of the terminal station, attended by low flexibility. Thus, only receivers which are specially adapted for communication with the terminal station can be employed.

Another approach is made in U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,258. In this, a complete optical bus system is described in which the signals received from a satellite are transmitted in a base band. Different optical wavelengths are used for simultaneous transmission of a plurality of polarizations, or for communication in the opposite direction. This system has the disadvantages of an extremely high complexity, a high outlay of optical components, and at the same time a low transmission quality by optical signal transmission in the base band.

Here a simplified solution is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,907 B1. In this, a simplified optical system is described in which the signals are also transmitted in the base band without further modulation. The disadvantage of this arrangement consists of a low transmission quality owing to the optical signal transmission in the base band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of designing a distribution system for satellite broadcasting which is not attended by the above-mentioned disadvantages, and is suitable for a simultaneous connection of a large number of subscribers with high flexibility and at low cost.

An achievement of this object in accordance with the invention is set out in the independent patent claims. Further developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

In the following, reference will be made exclusively to the concept of satellite broadcasting for reasons of clarity of presentation. This includes services such as satellite TV and satellite radio, in analog and digital form, and also purely digital services such as a distribution of internet data via satellite channels.

A dissemination system in accordance with the invention comprises at least one satellite receiving antenna for receiving the satellite signals, at least one LNB (Low Noise Block) as a preamplifier, and also at least one receiver for demodulating the signals received by the antenna. Furthermore, at least one conductor system is provided for disseminating the signals to at least one subscriber. Other components which, although necessary for the operation of the system, but not essential to the invention by itself, will not be further discussed here.

As distinct from prior art, the receiver or receivers is or are not located on the subscribers' side, but is or are assigned to the satellite receiving antennas. In accordance with generally prevalent technical language usage, receivers are here not understood to be frequency converters that convert a signal to another frequency band. Rather than this, the term comprises those units which demodulate the signals and, if necessary, decode them.

In accordance with the invention, at least one LNB, any necessary frequency converters, and at least one receiver together with a bus interface are assigned to at least one antenna. Thus according to the invention only demodulated and/or, if desired or necessary, decoded signals are further disseminated to the subscribers by means of the bus system. Thus, of course, receivers for demodulating or decoding the signals are no longer needed in the subscribers themselves. Here the term decoding relates to specific kinds of coding, such as are used for high frequency transmission of the satellite signals from satellites to terrestrial receivers. Of course, the signals may be newly encoded for transmission via the bus system in accordance with the bus system standard. Encodings which usually can be evaluated by audio and video instruments that have no own HF receiving unit, such as MP3 or similar standards, need not be decoded as a matter of necessity. Therefore signals coded in this manner may be relayed to the subscribers even without decoding.

Preferably an integration in close spatial proximity is effected of a preamplifier (8) having an optional frequency converter (LNB), a receiver (9), and also a bus interface (10) with the antenna. A unit composed of these components in accordance with the invention may be accommodated, for example, in a single housing, preferably as is conventionally used in accordance with prior art for LNBs, and may be mounted on the antenna.

The term antenna here refers to a conventionally used reflector, such as, for example, a parabolic mirror. A mode converter, such as, for example, a horn radiator which is used for converting free-space modes to modes of electromagnetic waves guided along a line, may be assigned optionally to the reflector or to the preamplifier. Preferably however, it is assigned to the preamplifier. Basically, arbitrary reflector shapes or antenna shapes may be employed within the scope of the invention. Similarly, in accordance with the invention, active or passive array antennas are usable. For this, of course, at least one LNB, any frequency converters which may be necessary, and also at least one receiver are integrated in a unit together with a bus interface in the antenna itself.

According to the invention, the bus system is based on electrical lines and particularly on light-wave guides. Alternatively, this may also be a narrow-band radio system or even a wireless LAN. Systems of this kind, for example many for the 13 cm band, are presently on offer.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to the design of the bus system as a digital bus system. As a rule, bidirectional communication is possible in bus systems of this kind. Therefore it is particularly easy for the subscribers to inform an associated receiver of the channel of the satellite band it is to receive and demodulate. Similarly, a series of additional communication possibilities exist via the bus system. Thus, for example, further parameters such those concerning signal quality or other information such as the time of day may be transmitted. Furthermore, with a bus system of this kind an intelligent control may be effected. If, for example, two or more subscribers request the same channel, then it is now possible to notify these subscribers of the receiver that is presently demodulating this channel, or of the data stream in which the desired packages are to be found. Thus, a multiple demodulation of the same channel by a plurality of receivers is dispensed with. This is of particular advantage with large systems, because here there is a high probability of at least some subscribers requesting the same channel. Thus, the number of receivers may be chosen to be smaller than the number of subscribers. This leads to a further saving of cost.

Furthermore, the bus system may be employed not only for disseminating the satellite signals, but additionally also for data transmission, such as, for example, in PC networks, or for building automation. Thereby it becomes only still necessary to provide a single network infrastructure that will cope with all possible communication tasks in a building. In comparison with known solutions having a plurality of network or cable systems, this leads to an enormous saving of cost.

In another embodiment of the invention, at least one receiver is adapted for real-time coding of the received signals in at least one digital video format. Digital video formats of this kind may be, for example, MPEG or formats derived therefrom or related thereto. Because of an encoding into a video format of this kind, only very strongly reduced amounts of data need to be transmitted via the line system or via the digital bus. Thereby a large number of different channels may be transmitted simultaneously via a simple bus infrastructure.

Furthermore, in an advantageous manner the subscribers may be designed at particularly favorable cost, because they now require only standard decoders, such as MPEG decoders, for example. Thus, simple MPEG decoders which, for example, may be embodied in PCs by means of software, or are in any case integrated in DVD players, may be employed in place of customary satellite receivers that require much outlay. This leads to a strong reduction of the cost of the entire system.

Another embodiment of the invention provides at least one diversity unit which filters out from the signals of a plurality of receivers, and transmits to the subscribers, the particular signal that has the best quality. The filtering may be effected optionally by using the demodulated signals of receivers, or also by using digital signals which are transmitted via a bus. It is particularly easy to select the best channel when a receiver, during real-time encoding of the signals, computes a quality parameter and transmits this to the diversity unit. Thus, using this parameter, the diversity unit may perform a simple selection of the best channel.

A method for disseminating satellite broadcast signals in accordance with the invention comprises the following steps: receiving the satellite signals by means of at least one satellite antenna, demodulating the received signals, transferring the signals to a digital bus system having a bus interface integrated in the antenna, and disseminating the demodulated signals via a line system to at least one subscriber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following the invention will be described by way of example, without limitation of the general inventive concept, with the aid of examples of embodiment and with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows in a general form a device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 schematically shows in a general form the structure of a receiving unit (3).

FIG. 3 shows a receiving unit having a plurality of receivers.

The dissemination system illustrated here comprises a satellite receiving antenna (1) for receiving satellite signals. This antenna comprises at least one reflector (2). Furthermore, a receiving unit (3) is provided to contain all components which are necessary for tapping the signals concentrated by the reflector, and for converting and issuing them as digital signals onto a bus system (5). These are, for example, mode converters (7), preamplifiers (8), and also receivers (9). The signals received and demodulated in the receiving unit are converted to a suitable digital form that can be transmitted via the bus system (5) to individual subscribers (6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d).

With this arrangement the receiver is not mounted on the subscribers' side, but in the immediate vicinity of the satellite receiving antenna.

A receiving unit is illustrated schematically in FIG. 3. A mode converter (7), for example a horn antenna, picks up the electromagnetic waves concentrated by the reflector (2) and converts them to waves guided along a line. These are then amplified by a preamplifier (8), and also demodulated and, if necessary, decoded by a receiver (9) disposed to follow. For communication between the receiver and the subscribers by means of the bus system (5), a bus interface (10) is provided. This bus interface optionally may be designed to be also bidirectional, so that it can not only send out signals to the bus, but can also receive signals from the bus. Thereby, for example, certain operating conditions such as the selection, or also the blockage of particular channels, may be signaled to the receiving unit.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of an embodiment having two receivers. Here two mode converters (7, 17) are now provided for issuing electrical signals to preamplifiers (8, 18). The amplified signals are then guided to corresponding receivers (9, 19) for demodulation. The received signals are now connected with an (external) bus interface (10) by means of local bus interfaces (11, 20). For this, an internal bus exists between the bus interfaces (11, 20, 10). This bus may be, for example, a synchronous bus suitable for multimedia, such as a MediaLB. Of course, in correspondence with this example of embodiment, further receivers also may be combined with each other. A combination is also possible in accordance with prior art, for example via multiplexers (channel switches). However, the combination via a local bus, as illustrated here, is substantially more flexible and capable of better performance. Of course, the bus system (5) also may be used in place of the local bus.

List of Reference Numerals

-   1 Satellite receiving antenna -   2 Reflector -   3 Receiving unit -   5 Bus system -   6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d, 6 e Subscribers -   7 Mode converter -   8 Preamplifier -   9 Receiver -   10 Bus interface -   11 Local bus interface -   17 Second mode converter -   18 Second preamplifier -   19 Second receiver -   20 Second local bus interface 

1. Dissemination system for satellite broadcasting, comprising: at least one satellite receiving antenna for receiving satellite signals; at least one preamplifier with an optional frequency converter (LNB) for amplifying received satellite signals; at least one receiver for performing at least one of demodulating and decoding of signals amplified by the preamplifier; a conductor system for relaying signals from the receiver to at least one subscriber; and wherein at least one preamplifier with an optional frequency converter, and at least one receiver together with a bus interface for a digital bus system based optionally on electrical lines or light-wave lines, are assigned to at least one satellite receiving antenna, and are adapted to relay at least one of demodulated and decoded signals to at least one subscriber by means of the bus system.
 2. Dissemination system according to claim 1, wherein at least one preamplifier with an optional frequency converter, and also at least one receiver together with a bus interface for a digital bus system, are integrated into a receiving unit.
 3. Dissemination system according to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit is accommodated in a housing, and is mounted to the antenna in a manner similar to that of preamplifiers or LNBs according to prior art.
 4. Dissemination system according to claim 1, wherein the digital bus system is usable also for further communication tasks such as those of a PC network, or for building automation.
 5. Dissemination system according to claim 1, wherein at least one receiver is adapted for real-time encoding of signals to a digital video format.
 6. Dissemination system according to claim 1, wherein at least one subscriber is adapted to receive data in a digital video format.
 7. Dissemination system according to claim 1, wherein at least one diversity unit is provided for filtering out from signals of a plurality of receivers, and transmitting to the at least one subscriber, a particular signal having a best quality.
 8. Method for dissemination of satellite broadcast signals, comprising the following steps: receiving satellite signals by means of at least one satellite antenna; demodulating the received satellite signals; transferring the demodulated signals to a digital bus system having a bus interface integrated in the satellite antenna; and disseminating the demodulated signals via a line system to at least one subscriber.
 9. Dissemination system according to claim 5, wherein the format is MPEG or a format related thereto.
 10. Dissemination system according to claim 6, wherein the format is MPEG or a format related thereto. 